Of her past personal problems, Spears, who is still under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie, says, "I'm past all of that. I try to block it all out and not pay attention to anything they write about me in the magazines or online. I'm done with that."

"I have learned to always stay true to myself and never let what other people say about me change who I am," she goes on. "It's a really important lesson that took me a long time to learn."

The mother of two (Sean, 5, and Jayden, 4, with ex husband Kevin Federline) says she's been trying to lead a more private life.

"I think it's easier to let people in when you're younger, but when I became a mother I wanted more privacy for myself and my children. A life away from my life," she says.

And she's not afraid to step away from the industry if it becomes too overwhelming.

"I'd be a full-time mom, which would be cool," Spears says. "I'd miss my fans and all of the love the most, but I definitely would not miss having my picture taken everywhere I go."

She already devotes much of her time to mothering.

"I love to cook, especially for my boys," she says. "I also make a mean southern sweet tea from a recipe my mom passed on to me. It's really good. I love it. I make it for my boys all the time."